The brass beneath Harry
by Ashes of Stars
Summary: Post HBP. 'Living with Harry wont be easy, in fact I'm pretty sure its gonna be ultra testing, seeing as I get to see him half naked all the time' Sequel now being added here!
1. Chapter 1 When visitors move in

**Okay, to any body that reads, this is my first post HBP fic. Its a random one, its in typical me style, its a lazy spark that floated in my head.**

**Enjoy,**

**Ash**

* * *

The brass beneath Harry's hand reminded the twenty something man that spending time at home was a luxury very rarely taken advantage of on his behalf. His millisecond thoughts were interrupted by his own subconscious opening the door impatiently, a sign that Harry was not happy for being interrupted when he had only been home for an hour and was enjoying his solitary self.

However his mood faltered instantly as he realised the face of the other side of the door was the pale, drawn pointy face of Draco Malfoy.

"Well it certainly has been fun not seeing your face in a while!" Harry scorned playfully, his face twisted into something much like disgust which was soon changed as the smile he was holding down broke out, the same time as Malfoy's. Pulling the tall blonde into a tight hug, they burst apart laughing.

"How have you been?" Asked Draco with a silky, but deeper voice.

"Well. I have been very well!" Harry backed away so he could take in the whole of Draco, "And yourself?"

"Lying low." Draco answered truthfully, to which Harry nodded.

"Come in," Harry stepped aside, "Make yourself at home!"

Draco looked around at Harry's main hall. The room was largish, black and white tiles covered the floor, which gleamed in the acidy sunlight pouring through the clear glass window panes, which framed the front door.

"It's changed." Draco stated in reference to Harry's house. "I don't know what you have done, no visible signs of it are here. But it's changed." Draco said this more to himself than to Harry, who looked around in astonishment.

"I don't think it has, I haven't done anything to it."

"How much have you been here?" Draco asked with slight demand as his peering head snapped round to look curiously at Harry, the eyes Draco held looking upon his acquaintance with soft sadness, "How much have you been working?"

Harry blanched, looked around feverishly for an excuse but upon finding no plausible one, resigned to the truth being told. "I haven't; for about three months."

"Three months!" Draco yelled in surprise. "You live in a magically built house and you have not been in it for three months?"

Harry's face dropped into an expression of 'What?' which would be said, if the feeling vocalised, in a very rude manner. Picking up his manners, Harry stood neutrally and in turn looked blank and asked politely, "Excuse me, what do you mean?"

"These new magically built houses," Draco tapped a wall and stopped short to listen to a non existent sound, "Often come with complications and pit falls. Because the core of the house relies on a regular magical input, when it is deprived of that flow of energy, everything that relies on the magic core becomes drained, deflated and… sick."

Harry stood back a little from Draco, looking as if he had been described with a serious illness, right out of the blue. "My house is sick?"

"Well, the walls are faltering, the staircase looks week and I bet you the sink sounds as if it is huffing when you order for the dishes to be washed.

"If I am wrong then your house needs to be cleaned. Such a problem these days, the new houses are taking over the old and yet people don't see what upkeep they must have. It's not all easy work." Draco looked at Harry pointedly, however Harry had the sudden feeling there was more to Draco's analogy and that the blonde was hinting for Harry to stop working so much.

"So you are a house doctor now or something?" Harry asked with an amused giggle.

"Yes." Draco replied. That cut Harry short in his outburst.

"Lets go sit down," Harry said with embarrassment, "What you drinking?"

Draco took off his overcoat, slid it onto the only visible coat hook and walked towards the kitchen. "Coffee please."

"You look as if you drink too much coffee." Harry jibed.

"That," Draco grinned, "Is because I do."

Harry snorted, held out his wand and issued the caffitier with the task of fixing the coffee and pouring said drink in the mugs Harry had gone on to magic out of the cupboard. As they floated towards the two young men, Draco kept an unwavering eye on the moving objects and Harry noted the calculative, analytical look in Draco's eyes.

"Yes, I knew it." Draco stated as the cups lagged themselves along the table towards their destined user.

"Knew what?" Harry asked, uncomfortable of talking about his neglected house.

"Your house; it is suffering from post-inhabitant syndrome." Draco said it as if describing a mental illness most humans, muggles and wizards alike, pop countless pills for.

Harry looked on shocked towards Draco. It seemed surreal, that this person he hadn't laid eyes on in almost two years, was sitting in his kitchen psychoanalysing his house. It seemed absurd, and that it truly was.

"What is post-inhabitat syndrome then?" Harry asked reluctantly, but feeling if he did then Draco could stop talking about the freaking cups and pots.

"It is like a honeymoon period. Say you and this house are two people who are deeply in love; one day the feeling hit rocks bottom and deeply in love now seems like a puddle of goo!

"The honeymoon period is over!"

"What?" Asked Harry with a tinge of rudeness.

"Your house Potter! It feels neglected; it doesn't think or feel that you want to be here anymore!"

"So?" Asked Harry fiercely.

"So Potter, stop taking on extra work and begin to relax a little more."

Harry double took Draco. "How did you know that I had been taking on extra shifts?"

"Because I can tell, through the walls of this place Harry. It's what I do, for some reason I can read things like this."

"Right." Harry started with caution, however couldn't find anything else to say. It seemed that Harry's words hadn't stalled the talkative Draco at all, for immediately he took over the dominance in the conversation once again.

It felt okay though, because one expects the unexpected guest to be full of stories to tell and questions to ask. It was no hidden factor that when Draco saw Harry he was always full of intrigue, however it was never this much and he was never this buzzed.

"So how is work?" Draco asked after a sip of coffee.

"Work is heavy, thick and fast yet It's all rather boring. All the same things we have always done; trying to obsolete Horcuxes, combating illegal potions, rounding up what's left of the Death Eaters.

"That's about it, and you?"

"Work is interesting. It's unbelievable what you can read about a person from the walls that surround them," Harry felt uncomfortable about this, as if Draco would be able to read his thoughts from the world around the two men, "And pay is good too; I guess some people just like tweaking their life that bad that they have to detail everything, pin point every problem."

"That is true!" Harry said in response to Draco naming the problems with his house already.

"Besides," Draco cut in before Harry had a chance to continue, "Work doesn't take up my whole life. I do a lot more and therefore have a chance to not fuss over un-important things."

Harry ignored the direct insult towards his over-working. "You have nilly-nagged over the fact I don't spent time at home by noting each flaw of my household." Okay, so Harry did bring it up again; it was getting on his nerves.

"I'm just pointing out a simple fact Harry, as a friend, that you need to relax. You are going to end up-"

"Going to end up what exactly?" Harry butted in. The past held many times in which Harry had been told to do something for whatever reason and he hated being guilted into the things he didn't want to do.

Draco went quiet, knowing it wasn't a good time to argue with the brunette, who looked upon Draco with a scowl.

"Why did you come today Draco?" Harry asked after the silence had indeed become too much.

"I wanted to see an old friend…"

"Your nervous." Accused Harry.

"Do I seem that way? I merely haven't eaten this morning." Draco sounded convincing, any normal person would have nodded and accepted that however Harry saw differently.

"You and I both know that going without one meal has never affected you! You used to miss countless if I remember correctly."

"Yeah," Draco sighed, "I remember."

"And we both know that if you were hungry you would have asked for food." Harry had lowered his rage level to zero in seconds flat.

"I know."

"So," Harry began, "Why did you come?"

XxXxX

The mutters of whispers where almost defining, and as Hermione walked past the litter of the Minister of Magic's reception and personal assistant team, she couldn't help noticing where the racket was coming from.

Roughly thirteen people were scattered behind desks in the room before Scrimgeour's, and when I say people it was more along the lines of human form of jabbering chickens.

Hermione did not like these people, they were a distraction, a waste of money and talkers. Anything you said around them was sure to be spread to friends within the Ministry.

The bushy haired, once buck-teethed, woman strode through the mass of Should be house-wives and into the Ministers office without hesitation, or invitation. Nobody questioned Hermione over her actions though, for Hermione need no invitation from the leader of Great Britain's wizarding community, for she had proved herself early on that a reliable and tough going, hard working person laid within her just eager to prove.

"Minister!" Hermione cried from outside the door, "I am coming in. You better have taken heed to my earlier letter and prepared yourself for news!" The gossiping in the office stopped suddenly, the chickens in the pen keeping every quirk of the beak unrecognised.

"Come in Hermione." The minister addressed back casually, a hint of amusement in his voice, even though Hermione was already opening the door.

"Minister," Hermione said exasperatedly, "It's Harry."

XxXxXx

"Harry?" Ron asked Ginny with clear uncertainty. His little sister nodded her head with full expression, eager for her brother to get the point.

"Yes," She started, leaning herself slightly over the wooden table that was big enough for twenty, "Harry!"

Ron sat back comfortably in his chair, obviously uncomfortable with Ginny's mere angry advance over the table. "I don't see how Harry has anything to do with this, who he chooses to see and what he chooses to do are his business." Ron took a triumphant look to his sister, who scowled back feverishly.

"Well Hermione told me that it could be a big deal!" She added, hoping to bring Ron over to her side of view.

"I'm not a lucky person Gin, and seeing as I have mom for a mother, Hermione for a wife and you for a sister that proves the point that I am unlucky.

"Not only that, but your all gossiping fiends that cant help but try and involve yourself in others business. Not to add that you're also jealous because that 'thing' you had with Harry didn't work out."

Ginny looked put off, but didn't say anything else.

XxXxX

"Draco?" Harry asked to the, now slumping, blonde across from him.

"I saw Hermione the other day…" Draco said absently a minute later.

"And?" Harry urged.

"I don't know," Draco looked up with a smile, "She kind of cleared a few things up for me."

Harry was confused. In fact, he had no idea what was going on, "Cleared what up?"

Draco stood and made his way to the French double doors that led to Harry's garden. He stood, with his back to the enemy he once hated and began to feel the bubble of emotion clogging up his throat.

"I…" Draco breathed deeply, "I have no where to go…"

"What?"

"I need somewhere to stay…" Draco whispered, his voice hitting Harry's ears in a muffle.

"Somewhere to what?"

Draco turned back around, his eyes filled with tears. "My mother," Draco seethed, "She asked me to leave…"

"She asked to you to leave? But you were living on your own!" Harry, still confused, squinted at the man by the door.

"I was living in a house, bought by Malfoy money."

"So, why did she ask you to leave?"

XxXxX

"Miss Granger," Scrimgeour began, "I don't believe you have much faith in Harry."

Hermione showed no emotion and instead took favour of sipping her coffee tentatively, "I hope you can understand what misery will be brought by Malfoy."

"But you said yourself you urged him to seek out Harry!" The minister was sweating slightly.

"I did, but that isn't the point. I'm saying shouldn't we just take measures to ensure no fall through on Draco's behalf?"

"I'm pretty sure," The minister soothed, "That with Harry being, not only the head of the Auror's but the soul saviour of our world, that he will be safe with whatever devil you have placed in his hands."

Hermione nodded, "I didn't tell you why Draco got kicked out?" Scrimgeour nodded. "His mother found him 'frolicking' with another man."

XxXxXx

"So?" Harry asked to Draco's response. "That's no reason to 'evict' someone!"

"No," Draco shook his head, "Not in normal society it isn't. But my mother didn't originate from a normal background did she?"

Harry considered this for a moment, and not really knowing the answer decided on agreeing anyway. "So you need somewhere to stay?"

Draco nodded but didn't reply.

"And where about do you want to be?" Harry found this conversation difficult. Although he and Draco had managed an alliance, and then a form of friendship, he had never envisaged having to help Draco out in this way. Sure, Harry had saved the man from Death Eaters, Dementors and death but having to find shelter for the man was something out of the blue.

"I don't care Harry. I can find work anywhere, I just need somewhere to start off, whilst I save enough for a house."

"Stay here then."

Silence took over as Draco gazed at Harry. Something in those blue eyes told Harry that this was rather planned out. Harry committed himself to laughing, "You can stay here, in my house, with me!" He collapsed in fIt's of hysteria.

"What's so funny?" Draco snapped subtly.

"I never, ever thought that you would be living with me!" Harry giggled.

"We lived together for six years at school!" Draco said pointedly.

"Yeah, in a castle that could fit over five hundred people; but now in a house fit for only-"

"For ten! There is plenty of space…"

Harry composed himself and let it stay quiet for a few moments. "There are rules you know."

Draco looked offended. "What kind of rules?"

"Well; No dark active-"

"You know full well I stopped that years ago!" Snapped Draco, unafraid of being rude.

"And general politeness. And please, no hoards of friends in and out all the time." Harry finished, even though he felt there should be moresaid.

"How much is rent?" Draco asked sullenly.

"Rent? God no Draco, the fact that you could help replenish my sick house with magical energy is enough."

Draco smiled, feigning ignorance to the fact he knew that living with Harry was going to be difficult.

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**Now, please review!**


	2. Chapter 2 The naked truth

Reminiscing between two estranged friends never failed to cause excitable energy to flow though the surroundings of those two friends, so it came as a warmly welcomed surprise to Harry, that the morning after Draco had arrived at his house, his cups no longer lagged and the dishes were done with grace; void of complaints.

Harry sat in his kitchen relishing in his first full day off in months. Merlin knew that the work he had been involved in whilst locating the latest threat of Horcruxes had been very tiring indeed. He had been stationed, admirably, between crossfire in the wizarding capital in Iceland, and whilst the weather conditions had been miserable it had also been a death defying job in which Harry was often found at the receiving end of a hex.

Such strains had taken toll on the body Harry once was proud in, but now the scars and 'war wounds' littered the naturally tanned flesh. Not too mention the fact Harry's ever fluctuating weight, even though he never was over weight, was now at an all time low. And it wasn't like Harry didn't eat, for out of choice he loved food, but when fighting both day and night, being hit with hexes and having been slung in between vendetta's of rival dark clans, one's body tends to fall short of the healthy line.

Laughing silently to himself, Harry mused over Draco fixing himself like he fixed his home. It made sense in a way, for Harry needed the company; he needed another body in the house.

Then, Harry wiped away 'nasty' images of himself and Draco doing 'naughty' things. It wouldn't do to be disgusted so early in the morning would it?

Harry stood up and walked his way to the self-replenishing fridge that was wasting away money like no tomorrow. Because of the recent rise in 'fill up instantly' objects such as fridges, teapot's, larders and general food items, the ministry was forced to put price on all objects that had been refilled, so that the shops which relied on the customers that never really came anymore could have a helping hand in business.

It made sense really, but it bugged Harry to bits that the fridge never took heed to his notice of departure, so it always let the food go mouldy thus making itself replenish, costing Harry ridiculous amounts of money.

Harry pulled a yogurt from the cooler and sat back down at the table, hoping to get an hour or so of peace before his blonde lodger woke.

"Harry!" Shouted Draco just as Harry's bum touched the seat, "How do you work your shower!"

Harry groaned loudly, pushed himself up from the table and made his way with uncertainty, up the stairs twice and too the left, so he could help Draco. Harry rapped on the bathroom door impatiently, the object in hand was opened instantly.

And there he was; Harry clad only in blue and white checked, cotton pyjama bottoms and sexy bed-hair. The breath in Draco's throat caught instantly, unable to dislodge itself.

"You had a problem?" Harry asked irritably.

"Yeah…" Draco tailed off as Harry pushed past him and into the bathroom.

The shower was on in no time, and Harry left with clear instructions as how to turn it off. Harry should of saved his breath, for an hour later a clean, crisp Draco hurried into the kitchen, made himself food, sat down and lazily greeted Harry with; "The shower is still on!"

Now this was another thing that bugged Harry; the water bill. Just so he could have the cleanest, healthiest water from Sweden, every time the water went rampage so did the bill.

Harry almost lept from the table, up the stairs twice and to the left. He slammed open the door, freaking when no sound of water speckled his hearing.

"You needed an element of surprise!" Draco shouted from the foot of the stairs.

Harry seethed but kept his mouth shut to avoid argument.

XxXx

Peace is a luxury often pined over, but rarely a given gift. Harry's friends, colleagues and acquaintances all knew of his long haul work of late, they all knew that he had only been home roughly fourteen hours and yet, after walking into his private study, he was bombarded by letters, wiz-e-mail's and glass ball picture messages.

'_Harry_,' Hermione had written: '_Please make sure your safe. I'm sorry._'

Harry chuckled, how could she have ever let Draco head towards the Potter house in seek of refuge? Hermione really wasn't a person to lay 'burden' on another, more of a person to solve each problem with grace and accuracy, in a rather textbook fashion.

Harry jotted a quick note back to her, telling that he would be _fine_ and she need not worry. He also described weakly Draco's house doctoring and issued that it was a good thing that the snob was living with him.

The rest of the post was dismissed after glancing at it. Menial letters describing jobs on offer, or distant friends writing to explain a new quidditch crazes that they wished he would join them in.

None of it interested him, so he took to finding Draco in order to ask him what the blonde wanted for lunch.

XxXxXx

Draco stood in the dining room/ kitchen, staring absently at the cooker. He wasn't cooking, in fact he couldn't remember why he was still in the kitchen at all, it just seemed that as he was making his way from the room his attention was caught by something and it was hard to tear his eyes away from what ever it was.

He was broken from his unimportant gaze by Harry, who bustled into the kitchen adamantly. Draco snapped his head round towards the figure peering into the fridge and then back to the spot he was just focusing on. A space void of colour and intrigue was where his eyes where gazing.

"Draco?" Harry asked, a muffled sound being made as his head was in the fridge. Draco looked round, only to be met with the pert rear of Harry sticking from the fridge.

"Yeah?"

"What you want for lunch?" Harry emerged and smiled.

XxXxX

It was weird, co-inhabiting the house with Harry. He felt like he belonged, and yet didn't quite know how to fit in around Harry's schedule. The favour from Harry in itself was enough to lay down the rules, yet Draco felt like he was stepping on thin ice all the time.

He felt like a young boy, always saying 'please' and 'thank you', offering to help at all times, and even learning how too cook, just to impress his friend.

And that's where Draco found himself a few weeks after moving in; standing over the stove, cooking breakfast for an eagerly hungry Harry.

"Draco?" Harry inquired lightly.

Draco mumbled back in response, as his full attention was on the eggs in front of him.

"Draco, I was wandering if you wanted to come for a drink with me later?"

The blonde, who was currently clad in an apron and boxers, felt the rise of excitement within his stomach. "Of course!"

"Great!" Harry chortled back, leaving silence to over come them until breakfast was finished.

XxXx

Draco had finished the clearing of the pots and pans and was lazily making his way up the stairs towards his bedroom, when he stopped out side the other guest room. On the floor out side the door was a note book; it looked very private.

With manners still intact, Draco picked up the journal and set about finding Harry. Even though Draco had never been in Harry's bedroom, he knew where it was. It was hard to miss, when so often he had seen Harry fleeting from it in the morning, half naked and cute to boot!

Draco knocked lightly on the door, so as to be polite, and when no answer came Draco decided on opening the door anyway, so he could rush in and out, placing the book in Harry's room so it wasn't disturbed.

The door creaked slightly, a chill of excitement running through Draco with the sound, and upon entering the room, the grey eyes of the blonde fast locked on Harry napping, spread eagled and naked on the huge bohemian bed.

Feeling as if he was an intruder, Draco quickly shut the door with the book still in his hand, and fled like a naughty school boy to his room ubove Harry's.

Once confined in the loft room, Draco breathed heavily with the weight of what he had just seen.

"Oh my… Merlin!" He whispered to himself as the rise of erection slowly took over. It was bad to think of such things; to begin to feel attraction to not only the person who soul saved your life, but a straight friend that you happened to live with.

'Shit!' Thought Draco, his head brimming with anger towards himself and lust towards that sleeping figure.

His mind began to curve over the flesh that had been in front of his eyes only minutes before. Soft, calculated curves of skin clung without fat to the strong, lithe frame below. Dark hair lay on top of the shell in light, perfect patches; Harry wasn't hairy, but the body hair that Draco had seen was just enough to not look pre-pubescent and so little that it didn't hide the body beneath.

And then there was the sleeping, glassless face of Harry. His mouth was open just slightly, his eyelashes flickering with the motions of dreams and his hair going wild… like Draco as he reached inside the confines of his clothes to redeem himself from the steel-like hard on he now possessed.

After just a few brief moments, Draco was released from the impending prison of lust. Scolding himself for his actions, stupidity and recklessness Draco realised one important thing; Living with Harry wasn't going to be easy, in fact it was going to be hard, seeing as he would continually see the raven haired, sex god of a man half naked most of the time.

Xxxxx

Pubs, apposed to bars, with their cottage feel, warm fires and local banter was the closest thing Harry could think of, to a magical free-house. Plenty resided on the outskirts of where he lived, many he visited often when at home. So, deciding on his favourite, the 'Lion and Prince', he held Draco by the arm and apparated to the small out house outside of it.

"They do fantastic food here," Harry stated as he brushed himself off, "So if your hungry…"

Draco smiled, moved his hand away from the shoulder of Harry reluctantly and followed the younger man from the hut and towards the pub.

Once inside, warmth enveloped them and with instruction from Harry, Draco found a table, waiting for the brunette to come back with drinks.

Muggle refreshment was an indulgence for Draco, seeing as his parents flat out refused to serve or consume anything of the nature. The blonde could never figure out why though, seeing as the variety was far more broad and the taste; exceptional.

Harry sat across from Draco and gave him the typical boyish grin, Draco could remember seeing countless times the whole six years they schooled together. It started out crooked, the corners of Harry's mouth just twitching, then it evened out into something toothier, broader and wild.

It caused Draco's stomach to fast forward, all the contents within going to hell in a hand-basket.

"So," Draco casually started, "Are you seeing anybody?"

Harry snorted, "With my work load?"

The answer wasn't a question, more of a statement. Something behind it though, told Draco that Harry had more reasons than work to not be seeing anybody. "What else though, I'm sure that if you wanted to see somebody then you would make time.

"You work," Draco added, "Because you have nothing else to do."

Harry nodded, "I haven't met anybody that I would want to spend that time with."

Draco felt crest-fallen. What he expected? Harry to leap up and demand that they date? 'Harry is straight!' Draco scorned himself.

"What about that Weasley girl?" Draco tried, hoping to god that she had made a fatal mistake to which Harry now resented her for.

"She and I were a bit of a fling," Harry brushed it off, "Anyway, what about you?"

"Me?" Draco's eyes widened, "I was seeing someone, but it was just physical really. Nothing to tie me down to."

"So you broke up?"

"Yeah," Draco sipped his drink, "It was a bit of a disaster really."

"How come?" Harry leaned into his chair, the comfort of his surroundings sweeping over him.

"Well, once I wasn't 'rich' anymore, they decided that even the mere sex we had wasn't enough."

"Shit."

"And," Draco continued, "There is too many memories I would rather forget held to that person."

"Who?" Harry asked, hoping he may know who it was.

"Pansy's brother Angelo. Good looking, great fun but just like Pansy!" Both men snorted into their drinks.

"So are you hoping to stay single then?" Harry asked softly.

That made Draco freeze. Yes, he did want to be single, but he also wanted to be Harry's; the being single didn't come out of choice really, more of a forced position because he couldn't have what he wanted. "I don't know."

"So how is Pansy and all of that lot?"

"Well," Draco smiled, "The one's that weren't condemned to Azkaban by you are lying low, most living abroad. Pansy herself spends her days at the command of her husband Merculisk, but to be honest I don't really know the inns and outs of that lot. We all fell apart shortly after…" Draco tailed off afraid to go on. Afraid to upset Harry.

"After Dumbledore?" Harry questioned, a chilling undercurrent in his voice.

"Yes." Draco replied. "After… that."

XxXxX

Draco woke early the next day, and out of character he felt an urge to impress his house mate once again with breakfast. He rose out of bed, headed for the shower so he could clean the hangover from his skin.

Once dressed, he made his way down the stairs and towards Harry's bedroom, his heart beating fast as he lightly rapped in the door.

"Yeah?" Came a husky voice from behind the barrier.

"Harry?" Draco asked, his voice a little shaky.

"Come in!" Harry said loudly.

Draco hesitantly walked in, his feet barely leaving the floor as he pushed his lithe form into the master bedroom. "Morning…"

"Hey…" Harry was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands, his back arched gracefully forward.

"Harry?" Draco asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"

Harry shook his head sombrely, the messy hair falling limp to his head as if sweat had drenched the raven locks. Draco moved swiftly towards Harry and stood in front of the man, giving enough space so that Harry didn't feel suffocated, interrupted and pestered.

"Do you want to tell me what is up?" Draco asked softly, kneeling down.

"If I told you Draco, you would think I was stupid…"

"I wouldn't!" Draco said with offence taken.

"Well, if you were telling me the same thing, and I was in your position them in sure I would think of you a bit odd!"

"Thanks…"

"Besides, its no big deal. Really, I'll be fine." Harry didn't sound assuring, but Draco took the hint and stood, changing the topic effectively.

"I'm making you breakfast, what would you like?"

Harry looked up, a small smile gracing his face. "What do you feel like making me?"

"Harry…"

Draco reached out and took Harry's left wrist in his hand, pulling him up and into a warm hug, "Don't be upset… its just that your not working, its getting to your head."

Draco held Harry's skull firmly against his chest, whilst his other arm wrapped around the shoulders of the unsettled man. Harry nodded in response.

"And," Draco added in a whisper, "I'll make you whatever you want me too…"


	3. Chapter 3 London in Winter

I had such a good response for this fic when I posted the first chapter, **_what_** happened on the second! I was a bit upset, but I understand if its going shit!

Whatever the weather, I am really enjoying writing this little fic and I am here to tell you only **two** or so chapters lay after this one so enjoy it and review it while you can!

XxXx

The negative energy coursing through Harry made no implications on the cups and pots, instead the inanimate objects took liking too Draco and fed off of him, leaving Harry in his overly dismal state.

The brunette ate, but the strokes of his fork into his eggs were slow, deceiving and he wasn't eating a lot. The only plus to Harry's minus was that Draco was making the effort to relive him of his bad mood, and not encouraging him further into depression.

Draco pulled the unmoving plate from under Harry, whilst keeping a watchful eye on the man. Harry made no protest that his plate was being taken even though the dish was still half full.

Harry rested his elbows on the table and kept his gaze down, whilst Draco scraped the dishes and placed them into the eager sink. Bubbles over took the dirty crockery, and no longer could Draco focus on them, instead he had to turn and talk to Harry, to help fix this problem.

The blonde looked about the kitchen, his eyes glazing over as he looked for a non existent excuse to leave. He was dressed, he was clean and he certainly wasn't tired, so there went that title to leave.

"Harry?" Draco started, "You want to go out?"

Harry's head snapped up, "What?"

"Do you want to come out with me? I was thinking of visiting muggle London…"

Harry smiled softly, "Yeah, sure…"

Draco sunk into that smile, his own features curving into happiness as he looked upon Harry. He walked over to the table and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, looking into the eyes of his ex-rival intently.

"Cheer up." Draco slid his hand down Harry's arm and into Harry's own hand, pulling him up from the table.

Harry complied, letting himself be led up the stairs and towards the master bedroom. Draco pushed the door open, his stomach flipping at the thought of what they could be up too in this 'position', and even though he himself had other things in mind to do to Harry, he couldn't help but think of the way this looked.

Draco motioned for Harry to sit on the bed, an act that the brunette did without hesitation, their contact being broken immediately and not thought of thereafter.

Draco then walked to Harry's closet, pulled out a simple outfit of black and white, and left for the man to get dressed.

xxXXxx

The gripping wind paused itself around both Harry and Draco in somewhat of a protests to their ever-warming clothing. Both felt no cold, instead walked through the chill in happiness, each of their gloved hands wrapped around a muggle coffee cup. They each had a few bags of clothing, just little bits they felt they needed.

"I love London in winter!" Draco exclaimed as the rounded the corner into Covent Gardens main square. "There is something about the grey, dismal atmosphere that sends shivers through me!"

Draco spun around, to which Harry giggled. "I know what you mean."

Draco stopped in his tracks and looked at Harry. The look was something akin to love, but went unrecognised as that and passed as curiosity.

"What?" Harry asked, paling under the gaze.

Draco smiled, "You look good in the cold."

Harry snorted, "I look good?"

"Yeah," Draco kept his soppy smile, "You look good."

"Thanks."

They walked a little more, until London became slightly boring. It was then, when they reached the last end of Covent Garden that Draco beamed a great secretive smile. "Have you ever had crepes?"

"What? Crepes?"

"Yes, they are like pancakes."

Harry licked his lips, "No, do you want to get me some?"

Draco nodded, walked his way knowingly to the crepe store and bought two filled with chocolate spread. Both men ate appreciatively, the sauce melting by the head of the crepe.

Harry, unknown to himself, had a little sauce running down his chin and lip. When Draco caught notice of this, he giggled.

"What?"

"You have chocolate on your face!" Draco pointed the spot of dark, thick liquid on the lips of Harry, and couldn't help his hand following its path towards Harry's mouth slowly.

London in Winter, to all those that have never experienced it, has a rather slowed down time effect; as if everything you do is filled with double second fever. Maybe it's the cold, maybe it's the people and the warmth radiating from every body around. But whatever it is, its amazing and powerful, not understandable mind but then again the action Draco was partaking in wasn't understood.

His hand skimmed Harry's skin lightly, before he put pressure on the spot and wiped the skin almost clean of sauce. It was the following action that surprised both boys out of their stare, their calm and their norm; Draco lifted his hand to his mouth and _licked_ the remains off of his own skin.

"Sweet…" Draco whispered, his soul shaken infinitely. He knew that at that point there was no turning back; he had feelings for Harry and his body had acted upon them _with_ his knowing and he hadn't stopped it.

"Thanks…" Harry mumbled sheepishly, before licking the rest off him.

Draco wrapped an arm around Harry's waist and said nothing more about it, instead both boys continued their walk through London, with Draco relishing in his 'confession' of his feelings, and Harry feeling as if this friend he had truly cared.


	4. Chapter 4 To choke on nicotine

The weekend after Harry and Draco's trip to London, found Harry alone once again in his study after a rather embarrassing encounter with Draco.

"_Harry?" Draco knocked on the bedroom door, once, twice, three times before deciding to open it anyway, without permission._

_Draco whipped the door open hurriedly, the door ricocheting off its hinges, threatening to beat Draco back out of the room. However the blonde caught it instantly as he saw, there in front of him, Harry scrambling around naked looking for clothes._

"_Shit, I'm sorry!" Was all that Draco could say before the door slammed into his arse, as he rushed unwillingly from the room, and beautiful sight before him._

Harry cringed at the memory, before moving over to his open window and sitting himself before it. As if it was a normal occurrence, which it certainly wasn't, Harry reached to the windowsill for a packet of cigarettes he kept for occasions like this.

He couldn't really remember the time that he had last sat there and smoked, but he was sure it would have been the day he received his letter to announce his soon departure for Iceland. It was a stress reliever; being in control of your own health like that. It meant that he didn't have to go to extremes to get release, he didn't have to rely on the lack of sex he was getting and he certainly didn't have to go A.W.O.L in search of comfort.

Instead, Harry took to sitting before his cold, icy window. He lit the tip of his release with a simple thought out spell, and dragged on the tobacco intently, his lips curled around the butt like hands around gold.

And even though the tobacco was stale, it still seemed like the best thing to happen to him all day.

A knock on the door announced someone wishing to speak to him; Draco and at that moment it could have been Voldemort, risen from the dead, and Harry wouldn't have minded in the least, for his cigarette was all that mattered to him in that one little moment.

"Come in!" He said through the smoke.

Harry sat back, deeper in the chair, and waited for the blonde to speak up. Turning his head would have been too much, all he wanted to do was look out upon the dew marred grass in his backyard.

"I… I just wanted to apologise."

"I have had worse." Harry said, a tad rudely.

"Are you smoking?" Draco said rather amused.

"Yes I am, do you want one?"

"God," Draco moved closer, "I would love one!"

Draco finally came in sight, and to sore eyes he would have been like heaven after years in hell.

"Help yourself," Harry pointed to the packet, "They are off, but it's a bit of a kick."

Draco leaned to the sill of the window and picked the half full packet up. Once a cigarette was lit and in his mouth, he looked about for somewhere to sit. Harry, still in his daze, unintentionally pulled Draco into his lap so he was sitting, facing the window and slightly to the right of Harry, his side against Harry's chest.

"I didn't know you smoked?"

"Not many people do." Harry admitted, "You, Hermione and Ron are the only people I have ever smoked in front of."

Draco smiled, his eyes now fixed on a similar spot to Harry's. It felt warm around his chest, over Harry sharing something so personal.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Harry asked lazily.

"For letting me in…"

Harry's gaze let up to Draco, a twitch in his lips from a suppressed smile. The arm around the blonde held on tighter, and unbeknownst to Harry, the blonde was trying not to squirm from happiness at this simple, yet powerful touch.

"What happened after you fled from Hogwarts?" Harry asked, feeling as if the question not many knew the answer to, was the right time to be asked.

"What happened?" Draco snorted, "I hid with Snape in the mountains."

"How long?" Harry asked simply.

"Until the bastard let me flee from there, saying that because he could never find sanction from the Dark Lord, that the son he would ever have, even if not his, should."

Harry held tighter sub-consciously, his fingertips timidly rubbing Draco's hip. "Where did you go after that?"

"I looked for you…"

Harry looked deeply into the eyes of Draco, which had moved round to look for the response from Harry, which never came for as Harry opened his mouth the doorbell rang.

Draco jumped off immediately, watching as Harry flicked the stub of cigarette out the window.

Loss of contact left him cold in the chill and alone to finish his disease maker. It sickened him that the voice greeting Harry at the door was the caring one of Hermione and Draco could understand why.

He was falling for Harry. And when interrupted in falling, it often sends shocks to the system.

XxXx

Hermione didn't stay long, it was all a check up really. Draco learned to accept that, knowing it was a good thing Harry had people around him that cared just as much as he did.

But it still didn't change how peeved he was, that he was interrupted in his moment with Harry.

He let it slip though, deciding to walk off his lust through the fading streets. The dirty air rose through his lungs, attacking his spine with chill formed by this heavy guilt that resided over him, over his feelings for Harry.

Draco passed a muggle corner shop and popped inside, ordering the first packet of cigarettes he laid eyes on. The rest of his journey was spent trying to re-create that feeling he had whilst on Harry's lap.

XxXx

It was a surprise to Harry, that when he had woken from his unexpected slumber, that Draco was found transfixed to the television. Harry walked in to the sitting room and sat beside the ex-Slytherin, taking in what was on the screen.

Harry had never watched this show, in fact he had no clue what it was, but didn't interrupt so Draco could continue watching. In fact, Harry hoped his presence hadn't been registered by the blonde, and he didn't know why that was.

"Wine?" Draco asked after the programme had hit commercial break.

"Would love some!" Harry accepted the glass held to him and drank to glory on his empty stomach.

"Wow… thirsty?" Draco said sarcastically.

"Parched!" Harry licked his lips.

Draco poured the brunette another glass, his eyes looming over the liquid as it spilled into the glass, tainting the see through with an oil like presence.

They both reverted their eyes back to the television, watching as some meagre story line unfolded, the colors on the screen becoming blurry as the bottle of wine was emptied.

Draco hadn't realised he had been watching so intently, until Harry gave a little cough from beside him. His eyes glazed over as they moved accordingly from the box to Harry.

"This isn't making you uncomfortable is it?" Draco whispered.

"Wha… what?"

"The… the couple on tv?" Draco asked in question to the gay couple prancing about on the screen.

Harry gulped.

**Now, I just wanted to say that the reviews I have received have been amazing. Don't worry, just like credits at the end of a film you shall all have dedications for being so fucking brilliant.**

**Ash x**


	5. Chapter 5 To excite those pots and pans

_**I haven't beta'd this, so sorry for any mistakes. I wanted to get it out now, at 3:40 am in the morning, cause I stayed up to write this just for all those people (reviewers) who make my day by posting their thoughts on this story.**_

**_Raffyne: Quick enough for you darling!_**

Heavy pressure, not uncomfortable mind, settled over Harry. He knew he was induced with alcohol but he couldn't help but feel as if this other feeling he had inside of him was right, not a fad due to wine.

It scared the hell out of him; realising at the age of twenty five that he was something different to what he had believed he was his whole life. And not only that, there was this incredibly exciting, fresh feeling of amazement at who had made him feel like this.

So much Harry had thrown away due to denial, so fucking much he could have saved of prevented. Like fires rising from the pit of him, anger took over at his stupidity, at his lack of intuition to his own feelings.

Why was he always thinking of others? Why couldn't he just be selfish for once.

"Harry?" Draco cut into the brunettes thoughts. "Do you want me to change it?"

Harry shook his head indicating no and said nothing more, his eyes wide at the couple now engrossed in a heated kiss. 'Wow…' Harry thought.

Draco smiled a little, trying to keep his amusement to himself. He shifted closer to his friend, the space between their bodies closing almost instantly. Harry sheepishly tore his eyes from the screen, looking up at Draco questioningly. "You like it don't you?" Draco asked, his hand motioning to the screen.

Harry nodded minimally, secretively, and truly scared he was. His heart thumped like heavy treads through water and he could almost hear the name it was calling as he sat there.

Draco smirked absently. "I never knew you were-"

"I'm not!" Harry said louder than he thought he would.

Draco leaned in, surprised when Harry didn't stop his movement. A flick of Draco's tongue caused a shiver through Harry, as the warm flesh met both Harry's bottom and top lip. The brunette sniffled slightly, causing the blonde to retreat.

"Have you ever kissed a guy before?" Draco asked in a whisper, trying to sound casual but coming out throaty, sexy.

Harry shook his head and was thoroughly surprised when a soft kiss was placed on his bottom lip from Draco. "How does that feel."

"Like I should have done it years ago…" Harry admitted.

Draco smiled, before crashing his lips against Harry's in a strong protest against his suppression of feelings for the past few weeks.

They kept their bodies to themselves, instead relied on their lips to tell each other their stories. Feelings, the room was full of feelings. Lust, passion, happiness.

The bloody cups and pans were going at it now.

And inside of Harry something changed. The dream he had before Draco found him on the side of his bed that morning; a warning sign. A happy warning sign that something brilliant was going to happen. In that sub-conscience treat, Harry was found doing pretty much the same thing as he was doing now. Except, Harry had been kissing Draco in front of all his friends, completely comfortable with what he was, and who he was doing it with.

Once back in reality, Harry realised that his hands were being placed upon Draco's chest and he was un-cladding the blonde from his clothing.

"God damn these things…" Harry whispered with a smile against Draco's lips and all the blonde could do to agree was to kiss back his mate and help remove both of them from their clothing.

Draco, whilst pulling the last of the clothing off Harry, had stood the brunette up. And now he got the best view he had ever had. A shy, timid Harry stood slightly pink in front of Draco, naked, panting and aroused.

Their words no longer made much sense. But the sex did, the touching and the kissing made so much sense it was as if it was planned. Language through the body was streaming all around, the only sounds were incoherent mumbles, or slight demands of want.

And soon, the whole clan of inanimate objects were having a field day. And, when Harry was to wake the next day he would find that the troublesome fridge had fixed itself, all thanks to the passionate, intimate actions he and Draco had shared.

**_So there it is, the long awaited get-together scene. Now I want to say this now, so you are all prepared; There will only be one more chapter after this, however there will be a sequel._**

**_And here's a little taster of the next chapter;_**

_**You will find out exactly what the brass beneath Harry is.**_

_**The diary; now whatever happened to that.**_

_**Things wont be as perfect as we all wish they could be.**_

_**Ash.**_


	6. Chapter 6 The Brass Beneath Harry

With one careless look back at Draco; Harry made his way tentatively towards his kitchen. The sleeping angel, donning Harry's bed smiled sweetly, even though the warmth and comfort had left him.

Harry stopped off at his study on his way to his solitary breakfast, and took a glance at the post that had been left for him. Most of it was the usual, 'Mortgage review', 'Gringotts bank balance' and 'Letters from his five year old son.'

XxXx

Draco felt the loss of a body next to him about an hour after he had been left alone. He felt like tepid water as he made his way from under the covers and towards his room to get ready for the day. Something about the jelly like feel within him caused his muscles to tighten fiercely, and in turn ache. Small pins and needles flew through his feet as they connected with the stairs towards his room.

It felt nice, to really not be living in his confines anymore. He was sure that, now, after he and Harry had 'happened' that his new life would begin and end, everyday within Harry's bed.

Draco took to dressing himself, after a warm shower that matched the feeling within him, and collectively gathered all of his possessions on his bed, ready to move them downstairs. The multicoloured bundle was a shock, mirroring how he had not really been able to live for months.

He sifted through his 'crap', trying to piece his life together. A pair of old quidditch gloves brought back the memory of when he watched Harry fall from the sky… countless times. And then there was the photo album Blaise and his mother had created as a present for his birthday, right before he nearly killed old Dumbledore. Contained within the pages of the book where photo's of the very rare times he spent, enjoying himself at school or when he and his friends went sailing down the lake by his house.

Draco casually put his book down, rendering himself to falling through memories he hadn't explored for what seemed like centuries, whilst he blocked out the truth about his past. He looked over a few more items before he came across a book/journal he hadn't remembered ever seeing.

The first page, crimpled and old, held writing that named the book the belongings of Harry James Potter, and interested in why he had it, he turned to the next page where a slip of paper fell forth, fluttering with air resistance to the ground.

Draco absently picked it up, not intending to look within it, but the pinkie staining on the paper made him revert his original actions, and he indeed opened the slip to reveal what he guessed, on first glance, was a birth certificate.

Given Name: James Harold Lovegood-Potter

Location of Birth: Centennial Hospital, Rome.

Born to the parents named: Harry James Potter and Luna Joy Lovegood

DOB: 4:37am on the 1st of May in the year 2000

Draco stilled. Harry Potter had a son.

XxXx

A little west of the capital, a small boy sat confined to his room whilst the over-bearing sun beamed down over his home. It didn't feel like home though, instead, it held an air of a half-way house that even the small Potter boy couldn't ignore. His feet dangled over the edge of the chair he was being forced to sit in, whilst his tiny tanned hand clutched a quill, which scribed the words he felt he should say to his absent father.

Honestly, he didn't feel he had a father, and under his false pseudonym of Jamie Legalst he taught himself to believe he had no one except the carers within this foster home, in the middle of hot and tiresome Italy.

_Father,_

_I am writing to tell you that I'm still alive, still breathing and have become a child prodigy within our tiny town. That is because I am now brilliant at quidditch; just like you I am told._

_Your son,_

_Jamie._

Such bold words for a small child, such a heart wrenching truth lay beneath the inky blue on the page. Such a false man gave life to this small, educated, smart child that lived in his own solitary world at the age of five.

XxXx

When Harry received the letter, he did what he always did; smiled, cried, felt guilt like no other he had felt before. It stunned him, how he had neglected poor little Jamie, but now he felt powerless to help the young child. It scared him beyond belief, that he could ruin this child's life more than he already had and he really didn't want to do that. Merlin knew that Harry worked his fair share and that his own child hood could be the breaking of Jamie Potter.

His stupid, ignorant fears had ruined his own life, and after the brief fling with Luna he had found out that not only had he brought life to this world, but he had also a choice to make. Sadly for the Lovegood family, Luna passed a little after giving birth to her first and last child. Once she died, Jamie fell into the care of fosterers within Italy who tried and tried to locate the father of the young boy.

Because of Harry's constant work load, they refused Harry rights and therefore Harry gave up trying, beginning to pile on work to avoid having to take care of Jamie. After all, he was afraid of becoming Vernon, or laying on his own troubles to a boy of such an age.

It scared Harry. It hurt, he couldn't see past what lay in front of him and felt there was no way out his predicament, except to financially help out the little boy best he could, and write on anniversaries just to let the little mite know he cared… just a little.

XxX

Draco couldn't believe his eyes, he had read every document within the book; the letters, the stories, seen the pictures. Piecing together the puzzle, the blonde came to the only conclusion he could; Harry was a pathetic man that did not deserve his time and effort.

Draco almost flew from his room and down the stairs, stumbling on a few as he warped down them, clothes flying behind where they were loose. He made his way, almost blind to his surroundings, towards Harry's study where he guessed and hoped the man would be.

Once fully inside the door he locked eyes on Harry, who looked shocked at the face of Draco who glared evilly as he moved over towards the desk.

Soon, Draco's fist collided like a pen to paper, with Harry's jaw. Draco stepped backwards, un-leaning himself across the desk. "You heartless bastard!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, chest heaving.

"What?" Harry asked, feeling extremely confused.

"How do expect anyone else to love you when you can't even love your own son?" Draco leered, his cheeks tinted red with anger.

"You read the book?" Harry asked, standing up fuming.

"Yes I read the fucking book!"

Harry ran a hand through his hair, cautiously moving around the desk. "What do you think you were doing going through my personal things?"

"I accidentally found it… what's so wrong about telling me the truth?"

Harry felt the loss of words over come him, and somewhere inside he felt the emotions waiting to burst. "I couldn't look after him!"

Draco had forgotten what he held in his hand, so when he remembered he flung it across the gap between him and Harry so it hit against Harry's head violently.

"You're a bastard Harry Potter. You're a cold, heartless bastard and this is where I take my leave…"

Draco took no time in exiting Harry's house, leaving behind every precious and should be forgotten item he had been scanning over. He felt no loss at the possessions, he knew gratefully there would be time to retrieve them when he brought little Jamie Potter back to his rightful family.

He made his way to his mother's, bringing about a plan to close the gap between them and try to make her understand his following actions. He felt it right to give her the peace of mind a mother should have over their son, and once he left the Malfoy Mansion, he made his way towards the town in which the brass beneath Harry lay, waiting to be polished.

_Right, firstly I **do not **like this chapter one little bit, but after re-writing, re-drafting, and driving myself bloody mad, this was what came out best. Its short, I know, its disappointing, but luckily there will be a sequel which I promise will fill in a lot of gaps._

_I hoped you all liked this story, I really hope you don't hate me because of the ending! But I promise, more HXD action in the second episode of our story._

_I would love, with all my heart, to thank these people that made my day whilst reviewing this story. **However** there is one person I wish to thank more than anyone and that is my **boyfriend Mark, there is nothing I can say but thank you, for all your support and all your care, attention, words, kindness, and the love you give me and cause me to return. You make me a better person, and I love you for that.**_

Tweedle-Dee1 Thank you for being my first ever reviewer on this story. Not only can I thank you, but I can really show my gratitude for making me push on with this story. Shame you never reviewed again though.

Urufu-misora Thank you

Dragon Huntress You reviewed almost every chapter, giving me incredible support and a push to keep on with this story. Thank you for every compliment, every word and every time you read what I had to write. You are one of the people I **dedicate** this story too.

Kodoku Wolf Thank you!

Fife Spice Now, what can I say to the person that reviewed ever chapter of this? I don't think I can show how much it means to me how this support, encouragement and muse you gave me helped in not only writing but finishing the story. Well done to you for helping me complete 'The Brass beneath Harry' and I hope you like the end result.

MalfoyRocks Thank you!

MyniePhoenix Thank you!

Celece Thank you!

Alexa82 Thank you for your comments, and now you know what happened to that damn journal!

Dress up Romance Thank you, hope you continued to read!

SkyHigh456 Thank you for reviewing and complimenting me. Means so much!

O.o x.X -.- Love the name btw! And, I also hate stories with little plot, so its nice to know I haven't written something like that. Thank you!

Gorgeous Gryffindor Thank you!

Cithara Thank you!

Meg Finn Thank you for reviewing the chapters that you did. Your encouragement gave me inspiration, something at times I really needed. Thank you!

Pwned. Love the name, love the review!

Celest Jacobs Thank you!

Raffyne The only person to be acknowledged before the end of this episode. Thanks for your pretty reviews, and I hope you liked a chapter with your name on it hehe!

ATadObbsessive46 Love the name, I know what you mean. I'm obsessed with these boys too!

Pixiedora Thanks!

Huwaw Thank you!

Zoomaphonethepirate Weird name, lovely review.

And last but not least Miriam Mriund Thank you, ever so much!

Well guys, there it is. And until the next instalment of our pretty little story, take care!


	7. Chapter 1 Wipe away curry

_The first installment in_**The way we polish silver **_The sequel to _**The brass beneath Harry**

* * *

Little Jamie Potter sat on a train, which lugged its way towards Britain, from France, under the sea. A strange man sat across from him, reading a book of which little Jamie had never seen before. The binding on the book, the pages that turned and the gold leaf titling shone 'money' to the little boy that hardly knew what money was.

It was quite cute, how Jamie's eyes lit up every time the page turned, or how whenever the blonde man across from him coughed. Draco couldn't help but giggle in a very un-Malfoy like manner.

"Jamie?" He asked casually.

"Why… why are we going on muggle transport?" And even though the question had been asked many times, and the answer explained, Draco gave into the shyness of Jamie and repeated.

"One must be educated in all walks of life, not just one and not just two. There are many ways of living in this world and because I am now your legal guardian I insist that we put our faith in humanity and not in one false idol."

"Okay." Jamie nodded, trying to understand.

"Shall I elaborate for you?"

"Please?" Jamie asked uncertainly.

Draco patted the seat beside him, beckoning the small boy closer. "Well," He began as Jamie plodded himself next to Draco, "Take muggle religion for one; You do know what religion is don't you?"

Jamie nodded, "Believing in God!" He said triumphantly.

"Precisely. There are many religions which the muggles follow although you can only have one religion, many different people hold different faiths from each other. Do you understand?"

"No."

Draco sighed, "Okay, take Christianity for one. There are an estimated two billion followers of that religion all over the world and even though Christianity is like an umbrella over the individual raindrops of different forms of Christianity, there are two billion different followers of that particular religion."

Jamie nodded, letting the information sink in. "So there are more religions?"

"Yes," Draco nodded as he downcast his gaze to Jamie, "There are many more."

"Like what?"

"Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Rastafarianism…"

And as Draco went on to name the many religions he could remember, and explain the many ins and outs of those said religions, the train they sat on sped with determined ease towards England, London, Home.

XxXx

"Hermione, gerrof me!" Harry shouted as she pushed him about the house, making sure everything within it was tidy. The brunette woman had grown tired of Harry being lazy, and she was sure that since Draco had left the negative effect on Harry had gone slightly haywire.

"Harry," She warned, "Narcissa Malfoy is coming round today to collect Draco's things. So you really wish to make her feel unwelcome with you untidy excuse for a home!"

"I have no care," Harry began, "As to whether Narcissa cares of my lack of tidiness or not!"

"Well I do!" Hermione snapped, and with that Harry was truly scared. Hermione never snapped, she merely found an un-noticeable way to make you do what she wanted.

"Okay, Okay!" Harry pleaded, trying to wipe away a curry stain on his countertop and the tension within the room.

"Have you spoken to Draco recently?" Hermione asked.

"Not for about three months…" Harry responded dejectedly.

"Harry," Hermione soothed, "Three months ago he-"

"Yes I know Hermione!" Harry bit, "He left three bloody months ago!"

"Alright Harry, your being rude. I'm leaving you to your cleaning down here and am going to blitz upstairs!"

And like they always do, another person rejected Harry for somewhere away from him. What a sad excuse for a man he had turned into.

XxXxXx

The doorbell rang, and Harry had no choice but to answer it, even though he was extremely tired from cleaning his house from top to toe. He casually looked himself up and down, making sure the trousers he wore were un-marked and the shirt was immaculate. It wouldn't do to have Narcissa mock him on his inability to keep house, nor himself.

He pulled the door open with etiquette and smiled broadly, "Narcissa, so good to see you!"

The blonde Lady on the other side of the door smiled back, with slight smirk on her face, "Don't try and flatter me young Potter, my high opinion of you has been severely hindered."

Harry's face dropped, however he stood aside and let the woman in. "Coffee? Tea?" He offered.

"Why thank you, coffee would be brilliant." Harry led her into the sparkling kitchen and thanked heavens when the cups, coffee and every other appliance he owned held no grudge against him, instead they acted very highly of themselves in front of Narcissa, even though most of Harry's crockery was from Ikea.

"How have you been keeping?" Narcissa asked as she made her way to the breakfast table, sitting down with an air of grace Harry wished he could emit.

"In all honesty?" He asked, knowing the answer.

"I would see right through any lies you chose to tell me!" She gave a little laugh.

"Since Draco left, I cant sleep, don't eat and have taken to being a slob quite well." He smiled and passed Narcissa her coffee whilst seating himself.

"Has your friend, the pretty one, been round?"

Harry nodded, "She might well still be upstairs, tackling the mess up there."

"You left someone upstairs to tidy for you?" Narcissa looked shocked.

"Yes, she insisted."

"Such work," Narcissa started, her voice reverting back to that of high society, "Should not be done by witches, nor wizards, especially under my watch!" She tapped her wand against the table and whispered 'Tink'.

"Yes Mrs. Malfoy?" A little house elf asked as the creature landed in front of Harry and Narcissa.

"The entire cleaning staff are to be here at once, please, and clean this house, thank you." And with Harry looking shocked from root to tip and Narcissa looking pointedly at Harry, the house elf disappeared.

"Why, thank you Narcissa." Harry smiled, feeling truly grateful.

They sat in companiable silence for a few seconds, before a shriek from the upstairs rooms came bellowing through the house.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed as she ran into the kitchen, "Who said you could order a cleaning team here?"

"I did," Narcissa commented whilst standing to pull the dishevelled Hermione into an embrace, "Its good to see you!"

"You too Narcissa." Hermione giggled whilst hugging the woman back.

"I need your help," Narcissa whispered into Hermione's ear, "He needs a new wardrobe, new furniture and some help around this house before little Jamie is to be introduced into it."

XxXxX

Authors letter;

My dear readers,

It has been to long but I lost my internet due to lack of funds within my home, therefore couldn't post you anything for a while. I started college too, so my workload has been heavy.

I have decided to post the sequel with the original story, because I feel there is no need to start a whole new reviewing point and have any future readers have to find the original.

So here it is. The way we polish silver.

Many well wishings,

Ashes of Stars


	8. Chapter 2 The Colours Of Bubbles

Draco got off the last train with a smile, as the prospect of an end to the elaboration of the Rastafarians may just be over. Silently he pleaded, as he held Jamie's hand and luggage, that the little boy would be extremely tired from all the travelling. However as they walked towards an odd little cab which hid away from the train station, Jamie's face lit up with curiosity as the shadowed tree came into view.

"You said they have dreadlocks right?" Jamie squealed.

"No mini boy, I said that it is common for them to wear their heads in locks." Draco said matter-of-factly, "Why do you want to know?"

"Because look!" Jamie demanded as they got close to the car, and he pointed his finger towards the man in the cab, who was indeed African in appearance with the most amazing dreadlocks hanging elegantly from his head, down to his chest.

"I and I." Draco muttered as he approached the car.

"I and I, _Bredren_, hop in…" The silky, deep, Jamaican accent floated out from the window in slow motion, whilst the words hung heavily in the air over little Jamie Potter.

Then the man put his head out the window and looked down, "Ahh," He spoke again, "I wouldn't 'ave known, I have I 'ad a lil' one travellin' wit' I now, 'ad I not 'ooked down!" The man with aged dark skin looked down at Jamie and smiled.

"Now fast driving today Ed please, my son Jamie is with me today," Draco said with a smile as he sat in the car, after helping Jamie in with a strange look on his face.

"Didn' know ye 'ad a son, Draco," Ed said whilst looking in the rear view mirror at the two occupants, "But de good natured day, tells I it be a good day today, nice te meet ye Jemee."

"You too sir!" Jamie said with pride.

"It be Ed to ye, _Bredren_." And with that, Draco gave the address of his wished destination and Ed sped off, answering all of Jamie's questions all the way.

XxXx

"Were here Jamie," Draco motioned to the house in front of them, "This is home for now!" Draco smiled down at the anxious looking Jamie, his features softening at the shy face of the little boy.

"It… It's big!" Jamie guessed, even though he wasn't too sure on the reaction he should be giving.

"That's Malfoy manor for you, squirt!" Draco exclaimed as he picked Jamie up and balanced him on his hip, leaving their luggage for the butlers to carry in. "Now, I shall take you too see our full sized quidditch pitch!"

"Full sized?" Jamie repeated, his little features lighting up at the very mention of quidditch.

"Yeah," Draco raised his hand and pointed ahead, "Look!"

"Wow!" Jamie squeaked, squirming a little at the very excitement of his favourite game.

"But no play tonight, because its getting late," Jamie's face fell a little, but made no protest as he was used to making things worse if he made any objection to the rules. And as Draco saw this he felt a string in his heart being tugged. "But tomorrow, were going flying!" And the blonde raised Jamie up in victory.

"Now what do we do then?" Jamie asked politely, for he knew his normal routines would be broken if he already had been promised something fun for the next day.

"I'm going to take you to my mother, Narcissa. She has been waiting to meet you for a very long time."

And the two turned around, making a quick way into the house and towards the kitchen where they found Narcissa Malfoy busying around, a very un-characteristic Narcissa, as she had flour all over her dress.

XXxXx

Harry stood in his hallway, stunned at the shopping Hermione had convinced him to get, as the brunette came bustling in behind him. "Harry don't stand there, go and put it away in your closet!" Hermione ordered and went to make her way into the kitchen. However she stopped as she reached the fridge on second thoughts. "In fact," Hermione shouted, "I'm coming to help you get rid of the old rags you own!"

Harry grimaced but stuck silent, trying not to breathe in hope that the torture Hermione and Narcissa had unleashed on him, was not worth going through anymore and wishing for suffocation.

Hermione ambled into Harry's room, going straight for the closets and opened the doors whilst magically ushering jeans, shirts and the like into the respectable places. Very soon the huge closet that Harry usually occupied one fourth of was full, and in truth Harry liked the prospect of having much attire.

"By the way, you should shower and get dressed because you're going to dinner with Narcissa tonight."

Harry froze in his spot, glaring at the back of Hermione suspiciously, "What the hell is going on here Hermione?"

Said person turned round questioningly, "What do you mean?"

"I know you Hermione," Harry sat on his bed respectfully, his gaze still on the standing woman, "When your hiding something from somebody you begin to get forgetful, it's frightening!"

"I'm not forgetful!" Hermione bit back, turning back round to hide her blush.

"Look at me," Harry ordered and waited until Hermione turned back round, "I know that had you not been hiding something from me you would have told me hours ago, and brought me here with time to get ready.

"However you have launched this on me unexpectedly so I can't protest!"

"Alright," Hermione responded with defeat. "Draco's back…"

And with that Harry began getting ready just to avoid the tears which threatened to fall at the pending possibility of having to see Draco again.

XxXxX

"Look at that!" Draco feigned ignorance, "It's late, and I would never have known if I hadn't looked at the clock!"

Jamie looked up from his new toys, to the clock and sighed. "I'm not that tired."

Draco looked put out for a second before smiling, "Well how about a show you the bathroom and the toys Grandma Narcissa put in there for you?"

"Okay!" Jamie beamed, not expecting to ever have this array of toys to play with, all to himself, without having to share with other children his age. Then there was having even more toys to play with in the bath, something which he had never been allowed to do before.

Together, Jamie and Draco bounded up the stairs towards the bathroom, Draco jogging slightly ahead because Jamie was still getting used to the house. "Ahh," Draco panted, "I should do more exercise!"

"Yeah," Jamie added, "Ill be beating you soon!"

"That you will," Draco jostled, "That you will!" And with that he opened the double bathroom doors, taking joy in the way Jamie looked as he saw the huge bathtub, which was already filled with water and bubbles which shone in many different colours, and the huge collection of play things that littered the side of the bath.

"Go on then Squirt, get in!" Draco rolled the sleeves of his black turtle neck up, and helped Jamie into the bath (once undressed of course), and helped play games of pirates and sea creatures for almost an hour.

All that was left after that was to read Jamie a story by candle light, even though it wasn't dark outside just yet Jamie's windows were charmed to look like there was a magical night sky outside. Draco had barely finished the first page when he heard slight muffling of sleep, but decided to continue the story anyway as it would aid the small boys' dreams into that of good conquering evil.

XxXx

"Harry!" Hermione squealed as he came out of his on-suite bathroom, "You look fantastic!" She stood and went over to admire her friend, touching his arms and hips in awe.

"Thanks Hermione," He gushed, "I never would have thought that after these last few months of abusing my body, that I could look this good." Hermione smiled sadly and hugged her friend, who certainly did look good in the slim fit jeans he wore that hung from thin hips, quite low and dark blue, tight fitting, cotton top with sleeves that reached as far as mid forearm.

"It will cause the desired effect, I assure you."

"Thanks mate," Harry admired himself in the mirror before reaching a pair of cloth cased sunglasses and pulling them from the little bag they lived in, pushing them on his face with a fair glint in his eye. "So I look good yeah?"

"Brilliant!" And with that Harry apparated to the address he had revised earlier.

XxXx

"Shit, Mother that's the door alarm!" Draco said anxiously from beside his mother in the kitchen.

"Language Darling, it does not do to be rude!"

"Sorry Mom," Draco said, blushing from his reprimand.

"Besides, you're quite right, I am no '_Mother_'" She sneered, "I am a 'Mom' if anything!" And Draco giggled as he swept from the room, making his way to the foyer where he knew Harry would be waiting.

XxX

Harry stood nervously, his hands clasped in front of him nervously. He expected Narcissa to glide round the corner at any moment and usher him like a child into the dining room where he would be brought down to scum's level from interrogation and accusation.

A noise at Harry's right made his head snap up suddenly, when came forth Draco. "Harry." He said emotionlessly.

"Draco…" Harry tailed of, pinkening. He looked towards the always fabulous Draco and smiled, noticing the blondes look directed to Harry's attire.

"Well you look good." Draco stated flatly. "Anything new in your life then?"

"New wardrobe. Yourself?" Harry inquired.

"Many things, Harry." Draco said whilst directing the brunette towards the large drawing room.

"Care to elaborate?" Harry asked as he sat down across from Draco.

"We have a while until dinner, so yes I suppose I could." Draco took a brief moment to call a house elf to bring them both drinks, which appeared momentarily on the broad, glass coffee table.

"Why did you do it, Harry?" Draco started abruptly, and Draco didn't need to prompt Harry on his questioning for the brunette answered immediately.

"Why do I need to explain myself to you?" Harry was defensive, as he concealed the past from himself.

"Because I loved you!" Draco seethed from across the distance between them.

Harry sat shocked, but refused to say anything else. "I see how it is then." Draco stated, his voice full of cold malice. "You know, I would have thought growing up without your parents would have made you crave the chance to be a father to your own offspring, but I was wrong!"

"Yes, you were Draco!" Harry spat back, his body seizing itself to full height as he sat.

"And," Draco began again, "I would have hoped that you of all people could have some heart to a poor little boy that lost its mother!"

Harry sat silent, his eyes closed in fearful blockades of the truth. "Well Harry, your nothing but a cold hearted bastard! A cold hearted, pathetic excuse of a man!"

"Enough!" Harry shouted, his calm quickly shattered. "You want the truth _Malfoy_?" Harry asked bitterly.

"Of course I want the truth, _Potter_!"

"Do you have a pensive?"

* * *

_Authors letter;_

_Hope you like it so far, although I must admit I haven't beta'd this at all and I'm sure there are things which do not flow._

_Sorry if I offended any Rastafarians in this chapter, I did do my research!_

_Ashes_


	9. Chapter 3 Memories a painful

_Harry looked on emotionlessly as another fist slammed into his younger self, and he had to stop himself from laughing hysterically as the repressed emotions within him that were now being let free._

_Draco stood aghast as Vernon lifted Harry off the floor, by the scruff of the neck, and leaned in close to the weeping face of Harry. "We tried to love you," Vernon said calmly, even sweetly, "We really did." Harry shook his head, having no memories of that 'love' which Vernon talked about. Then said man lifted a calloused hand to Harry's face and stroked it soothingly. "You were such a sweet, endearing child in the beginning," Vernon's face softened, "And then things started happening."_

_He let go of Harry, who fell to the floor with lack of energy and whilst Harry gasped for breath, Vernon strode around the room with his hands behind his back, "It was when you started crying all the time, or murmuring your mothers name, that we started hating you!" Vernon spun around, his fist gaining speed and slammed into Harry._

"_Your…cursed…" Vernon spat between blows, "You, your family and anything else that comes from you will be… cursed!"_

"_That's not true!" Harry finally ground out, but was met with another forceful hit. The visibility of how much it hurt was not lost on Draco._

"_Don't believe me do you?" Vernon sneered, "Don't think that all your freaky family are cursed do you?"_

"_No!" Harry sobbed, his body shaking with encased anger._

"_Well I will make sure you never forget, you bastard…" Vernon went down to grab Harry, whilst the elder Harry was pulling on Draco to leave the memory and as they did so Draco heard one last thing; "Murdering, cold heartless, bastard you are Harry…"_

XxXx

Harry turned sullenly away from Draco as they gained their footing once again, back in Draco's home. "Harry!" Draco grabbed the brunettes shoulder and forcefully pulled him round, "Harry why did you pull us out?" The blondes voice was as calm as could be.

"What?" Harry began, raising his arms up beside himself, "Want to have another go do you, well here I am!" Harry's didn't sound normal and the erratic look in his eyes scared Draco more than when he had faced down his mother all those months ago.

"Harry, please be rational!" Draco pleaded however his words fell on unimpressed ears, and Harry looked at him disbelievingly.

"Be rational?" He asked quietly, "How the fuck can I, the cursed one, be rational!"

"Your being a child, that's what your being!" Draco yelled, his fists curling into balls at his sides, whilst Harry fought away the wave of dizziness he had wash over him.

"Maybe its about time," Harry responded with a whisper, "I never was a child, I was just… it was taken from me and I never knew what, or why or how… I just knew I existed to do things for other people." Draco watched without moving as tears ran down Harry's gaunt face.

"Do you know what it feels like to be bullied? Respected? Feared?" Harry asked, facing Draco down, "How about all those things at once? You try to do one thing for somebody and another for the next! You loose yourself.

"I didn't have an inside, because it was ripped from me so early, and then Luna… my life I had built up broke down around me and I had Jamie, this gorgeous… he was so small and… I was on my own and all Vernon had ever said to me was ever repeating in my head…" Harry was full out sobbing now, drenching his face and draining his insides dry.

"Harry…" Draco said as he laid a hand on Harry's twitching shoulder, "Shh…"

"No Draco," Harry said calmly, "I've been quiet for so many years… and I'm tired of it… I can't eat, I can't sleep and I can't even bear to think about the two of you… I can't do anything but sit around wondering where I went so wrong all those years ago. Where I went wrong with you." Harry wiped his tears away, stood up straighter and pulled away from Draco's touch.

"And then," Harry added, "I would come to a conclusion about Jamie; that I was just a weak, freak of a boy that was indeed, a child himself. But when I thought about you I could only keep asking 'why you left' however I finally came to a conclusion," He looked at Draco pointedly, "I just can't be loved…" He stared into Draco's eyes a little more, before turning on his heel and beginning to walk out the room.

"Send my apologies to your mother, but I'm suddenly not hungry…" And with that Harry walked out of the front door and past the anti-apparation wards, sending himself straight to his room to cry, like the good little boy he was never taught to be.

XxXx

Draco stood staring in disbelief for many moments, before his trance was broken by a silvery glint beside his eye line. He turned his wide eyes to the point of distraction and stared, horrified at the still lingering contents of Harry's memory.

"Mom!" He yelled as loud as his lungs would allow, the sound echoing throughout until it died down enough to allow the sounds of Narcissa's footsteps as her feet hit the floor.

"What is it Draco?" Narcissa asked whilst her eyes searched around the room for Harry. "Where is Harry?" She asked concerned.

"He left… he left, without taking a memory he was showing me. He cut it off before something really bad happened Mom and I'm not sure if I should look at it or not?"

"Honey, your erratic, calm down!" Narcissa prodded, "Why did Harry leave?"

Draco sighed, "Because I made him upset…" Draco turned to the pensive, "What should I do?"

"Harry might be hiding something?" She asked curiously, her nosy self desperate to find out what happened.

Draco needn't request any more encouragement from his mother, as he plunged his self into the memory to watch again, repeating the horrible events up to the part he hadn't seen. But when he did see it, something within Draco's head clicked and he fell out of the memory, which would end up plague his dreams and thinking for the next week.

XxXx

"Yes Mr. Potter," The head of the orphanage said out of boredom, "He has been adopted."

"By who?" Harry seethed, unable to control his anger any longer, "You gave me no saying in this?"

The dark haired woman sitting across from Harry sighed a deep, unpleasant huff. "We agreed that if you didn't claim him by his fifth birthday he would be available for _private_ adoption.

"It so happens that someone adopted him, _privately_ and we cannot tell you the whereabouts of Jamie."

Harry was about to curse the woman in front of him, but let it go as he began to sob again, "I have lost my child?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Potter, there is nothing we can do now…"

_Authors Note:_

_My fans, my friends, my family,_

_I hope the plot is thickening now, I am trying hard to get it working fully now. I have a lot of ideas for the upcoming chapters and I expect 'The way we polish' will be longer than its fore-runner._

_I have a **website**! Its pretty darn cool, and I would like if you checked it out for me. I hope to do **reviews** on there (**Send me stories people so I can review them for you**!) and self reviews/interviews about my stories._

_Check it out under my hope page on my user profile!_

_Best of luck to all of you,_

_Ashes_

_Ps. Thanks to LadyDragonWolfKnight who pointed out a mistake to me. I appreciate it!_


	10. Chapter 4 andoverandoverandover again

"... And then, after the feast the (usually) tepid prefects heard you to your common rooms, where a whole list of boring rules, regulations and good moral giving takes the show." Draco stopped animatedly flinging his arms around and peered down at little Jamie Potter as they made their way, on the train, from Tokyo to Oslo. The Potter-Lovegood hybrid looked up with adoring eyes to his adopted father, smiling comfortingly to Draco.

"Where they the best days of your life?" Jamie asked.

"Hogwarts?" Draco asked to which Jamie nodded. "No, they were interesting for sure. But I think those days spent with Harry were my favourite…" Draco trailed off, his eyes transferring their hard gaze on Jamie to a loose uncomfortable one out of the window.

The young boy beside Draco smiled and nodded in a response, even though Draco could not see it, and relaxed his body against the seats. Once again, Jamie let his thoughts travel to his lessons; his newest adventure being the study of magical communities and Muggle alike. He had been on the road for over seven months, learning everything he could.

And it fascinated him, so much that big blue eyes shone in awe of his surroundings.

XxXxXxX

Harry ran and ran and ran and ran, his body convulsing slightly under the heavy pressure of an untrained crucio. Harry, being used to the pain, kept on moving, his magical energy undoing the binds of displeasure from around his body. Through the thick rushes underneath his feet, he moved with unnatural speed against the train destined to another town Harry had only visited via the battlefield. All a clash of neon lights and blood stained faces were the images surrounding Harry's current location, and he didn't stop to think of any possible advantages to his current situation, until the rain streaked sky above clattered causing his vision to rise upwards as his eyes locked hold of beautiful tear streaked blue ones.

XxXx

"Jamie," Draco said quietly to the bouncing boy as they walked towards their rooms, "Daddy Draco needs some rest and a chat with Gramps. Please go study, order room service, go swimming! Just give me some peace." They laughed together a little bit, before Draco pulled little Jamie into a hug, before Narcissa, who was travelling with them, did the same to the small boy.

"I'll be down to join you soon, okay?" She asked.

Jamie nodded, took heed to the pool with his swimsuit charmed from his bag. He wasn't fresh to Draco desiring some 'quiet' time, for the man often took relish in his peace and solitude, leaving Jamie to explore the world independently. A lot of the time, Jamie would sneak off and visit local libraries, to get better (or rather; the same old) information on his true father.

In the year he had spent with Draco as his guardian, Jamie had learnt no more than the simple clichéd newspaper headlines naming 'The-Boy-Who-Live' turned 'Man-Who-Defeated-Voldemort' the 'Saviour of the world'. But Jamie new there was something missing from all the news clippings and old photographs; there was nothing he could hold, touch, or gain from the boring paparazzi. Even though there were a thousand different pictures or a hundred different texts, there was no personality; just a lacking sense of 'Dad'.

The small Potter boy rambled alone in his head absently, all the while changing into his trunks, and then lowering himself dazed into the pool, setting off swimming like it would be his last chance ever.

XxXx

Harry entered the white-washed hotel, keeping a clear eye out as he moved forward to the front desk. His body ached, his mind hurt and Merlin only knew of how much his heart panged as he saw a small child walk towards him. Everything he saw, everything he touched reminded him of his failure concerning Draco and Jamie.

People were giving Harry sideways glances of disgust at his red-tinted, ripped shirt, bruised face and shaking body as he futilely stood still in the entrance hall. The glares; Harry was sure they were looking with hatred in their eyes.

The death. He saw the death of the thousands of people killed around him.

The letters. The words he hadn't wished to ever see again, tainted his mind painfully as he turned around.

The truth. Harry was a fucking bastard. He was a cowered who was preferring to just floo home for the night instead of wasting any more time in Oslo.

XxXxX

Draco was determined that Jamie would be the shining star of Hogwarts when he attended, and nothing from anyone could persuade him any different. He didn't push Jamie to learn; the strong Italian influence had done itself that amount of good that Jamie breathed to learn, absorbing as much knowledge as possible, and when this little fact was unearthed Draco seriously considered whether this boy was Hermione's or Luna's.

All thoughts were banished though, when Narcissa Malfoy carefully pointed out that the young child didn't have buck teeth.

Draco was glad his mother had accepted him, albeit reluctantly, back into the family. It seemed that Narcissa was won over by the prospect of a grandson; something she could truly devote her love too, without asking for anything in return.

And that's where Draco and Jamie could be found living, when they weren't travelling; at the manor with Draco's mother.

"And he hasn't even asked to see Jamie in a year?" Narcissa asked, with shock present in her silky voice, to Draco who sat back taking advantage of being a grown-up talking to a grown-up for once.

"He hasn't really spent time with Jamie in over five years." Draco said, going round in circles with his mother once again.

"Oh, that's dreadful!" Narcissa exclaimed, her hands flying to her mouth in casual ease, "Even your father was more aloof than Harry, but he still kept time with you."

"I don't think it's a question of how much of a dick-head Harry is," Draco replied, taking no heed to Narcissa's warning to mind his language, "Its more to do with how scared he his."

"Scared of what?" The fair woman asked, watching as her son stood and made his way over the drawing room to the drinks cabinet. She was slightly excited to be covering fresh ground with Draco instead of going over and over the same things.

"What you, or no body knew about Harry's past, was that he wasn't treated very well by his guardians. He believes he will be the same, that he will abuse Jamie just as they did to him.

"And if you remember correctly, Harry's father passed away; Harry is afraid of leaving Jamie in that predicament." Draco returned to his seat with a healthy measure of Firewhiskey, unaware of spying eyes from the corner of the room.

"But doesn't that make it worse situation for Jamie? To be pushed away into a life of loneliness so that he doesn't have the minimal chance of being broken?"

"Don't forget Mother," Draco chided, "That Harry, along with Merlin, Salazar, Dumbledore and Godric are some of the most well known, well talked about and famous wizards; dead or alive."

Narcissa nodded, she had expected this. "So why did you take Jamie in?"

"I don't know. In all honesty I think at first I felt sorry for the little mite."

This made Jamie, who was spying unintentionally on his family, freeze over with untamed emotion. Draco felt sorry for him? He only took Jamie in because he was a sad, lost, homeless child?

"Does Harry know you have him?" Narcissa asked, taking a gentle sip of her red wine, careful it didn't stain her lips.

"I have never cared to tell him. Lord knows if he ever was told by the adoption agency, or if Jamie ever said anything."

And his father, his real blood tainted father knew not of his whereabouts. He didn't even care about his own son.

Sudden rage flared inside of the blue eyed child, and white flashed before him before a second skin of surroundings took over his balance, spatial awareness and comfort. He had moved once again, without thinking about it, his body willing him into his bedroom, where young Jamie took no time in leaving a note for Draco, packed his bags, and thought of the one place they might, just might find him.

_Dearest readers,_

_It has been a long time since I have updated, but I feel no sorrow in doing this as it my muses have been more focused on such ditties as 'Is that still you?' and little onesmuts; 'The meaning of Christmas'. _

_Like it? Hate it? Still interested… have a horrible rash? Go on… tell me…_


	11. Chapter 5 A tiring task

Hermione sensed Harry back in the country and quickly whipped herself round to his place so she could be there waiting for him. Something was just not right with her friend, she knew, and instinctively she grabbed her coat and magicked on some proper clothes to wait for Harry on his front porch. Apparating was always such a tiring task when you had been up all night, and many nights before that, either reading for leisure or researching a new topic, still Hermione fought against the movement sickness as she spun through thin air and towards Harry's house.

The cold was biting her skin like the jagged teeth of a wolf, yet shivering she stayed still, her arms wrapped around her body to fight off the whipping cold. When a light appeared from inside the house she knocked impatiently. Still Harry ignored all signs of company and made his way, crying like the loose fucked up failure he was, upstairs.

It was painful as he moved, the sore skin from cuts and bruises making themselves known in the most irritating was, and Harry was moving too fast for any rest of the skin. He was throwing every item that ever meant anything to him into a brown suitcase, of the finest leather, and stashing pills and products into a wash bag. Every movement was violent in his wake, nothing would be saved from his tortures within the mind and body, and had it not been for a tiny squeak from the other side of his room, Harry would have cut himself on a glass object he held to tight. Turning around half frightened to death, and wondering whether Hermione had broken the wards on his house, he went to aim he wand at whatever intruder it may be.

"Jamie?" He asked half wondering, semi broken by his thoughts confirmed in the most complicated of ways.

The small boy backed away when Harry moved forward, all rage forgotten at his son's scared eyes. "Jamie listen," He tried, his hands trying to touch the boy and stop his tears, but an invisible shield was erected around the boy, "Come here…"

When the boy did not move, but shook his head no, Harry launched himself from his room ferociously and made it to the stairs. He ran down them, missing a step and falling the rest of the way, his body jutting up and down as he fell and his stomach flip-flopping in protest against his stupidity. Undeterred he launched himself to the front door and opened it only to see Hermione walking off into the night. Her movements told Harry she was ruffled for being ignored so he shouted after her.

"Hermione!"

:break:

"I don't know what to do, Harry…"

Harry glared at her, all three of them –which included Jamie- now at her house in the warmth of somewhere not so disgraced. Jamie was sleeping, to tired from his pre-taught apparation to register the ability to gain information, on Hermione's living room couch. His head had flopped back almost an hour ago, during Hermione's frantic explanation of how she knew who Jamie belonged too. Of course the explanation was needed as Harry had gone on a tirade, believing that the apparation Jamie had induced was due to ill treatment towards the young boy; a result of many years of his own mistreatment.

"You don't know what to fucking do?" He seethed through gritted teeth back at her, watching her flinch at his anger, "What am I supposed to do now? Draco's only going to hate me more, thinking I had something to do with this!"

"Yes, but I'm witness to the fact you didn't!"

"Yes, but your also one of his game players are you not, Hermione? Were you not in this all along, going against what your best friend might think and want?"

Hermione tried again fire calling the Malfoy Manor, and once again fell short as there was no response. A house elf did appear this time though but cowered in fear at Hermione's seething face and ran away before he could answer the girl.

"Narcissa and I were trying to get you two back together, and re-introduce you to Jamie, but everything went belly up once you and Draco fell out yet again when you went to see him at the Manor!" She bit back once her head was out of the fire, not backing down to the fury written in Harry's eyes.

"You and Narcissa?" He asked, disturbed at the matchmaking scheme going on between the two women, when suddenly there came about a sense of recognition of the night he and Draco had fallen out once again.

He was mad at the blonde for making him feel all those un needed things again, and he had left without a glance back. A glance that was needed in honesty, because he had left something very important behind, and now he had to live with Draco knowing. "Oh shit, oh shit!" Harry breathed out, pacing the room, his right hand cupping his face in disbelief. This was ominous and it left no room for any good to come of it.

"Oh shit… oh fuck… oh…" Harry paced up and down the smallish room, his breathing becoming hyperventilation and leaving no room for his mind to work properly.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked worriedly, her hand coming to rest on the small of Harry's back to stop him from moving. Harry had the sudden urge to run away but with one look to Jamie he found that he couldn't. There it was, the answer to so many problems, but he couldn't help but think there was little that could be fixed by Jamie who was so young and so innocent; an innocence only a child could have and an innocence that could break the wards on his house. Only someone so pure could do that which was quite remarkable really.

Harry promptly fainted for the breathing had become to much. As he lay there unconscious, Hermione reasoned that he needed the break to rationalise things alone in his head.

;break;

When Hermione had finally gotten hold of a frantic Narcissa she was nearly in tears herself, but the calming voice of her older friend comforted her well enough for her to divulge that she knew where little Jamie was. Draco, Hermione could hear, was in the background going almost crazy at having found no sign of Jamie when he had checked on him a few hours prior. It seemed that Narcissa had been informed by her house elf that Hermione had been trying to contact her, and she had called the brunette to consider why Hermione might be in such dire need of contact.

Narcissa confirmed that she would be over momentarily and before she closed the fire call, Hermione heard the distinct sound of a Draco rushing from the room with his mother berating such childish behaviour.

As soon as Draco and Narcissa arrived at Hermione's house, Draco moved into the living room to find Harry passed out on the floor, and Jamie sleeping solitary on the couch. Harry was really rather pale, in stark contrast to his deeply dark hair, and suddenly a pang of guilt traced through him. Conciously he levitated Harry up the stairs to a spare room, neither asking Hermione whether that was okay or caring if she would say no. With a backwards glance to the bed, he left the room to attend to Jamie, holding the small boy close as he travelled by apparation back to the Manor.

Draco was extremely frightened after overhearing Hermione telling his mother that Harry knew who Jamie had been adopted by, and he was soon awaiting the verbal abuse from Harry who would surely knock two weeks worth of food from him, once he was fully awake and able to do so.

Draco was sitting on the edge of the bed Harry slept in when the brunette awoke, his face contorted into an apologetic set up, hoping the look would instil some sense into Harry. Yet he was sorely surprised when Harry hopped out of bed, without words or acknowledgement, and walked through the door. Draco followed after him, watching Harry from behind, the mornings soft light coming through all windows without curtains.

"Harry?" He asked softly, not wanting to wake Hermione or Ron.

At the front door Harry stopped, looking back over his shoulder with his eyes downcast, not wanting to register that Draco was there. "You know, don't you?"

Draco made to move closer, but Harry went to unlock the front door in warning to not get too close. Knowingly Draco stayed back then, never wishing to be on the end of Harry's wrath again. Sensing the build up of emotion within Harry, Draco kept all distance between them, even though it was hurting badly to do so. "Yeah, I know." He replied.

Harry nodded just once and pulled the door open so he could leave. "Wait!" Called Draco, forgetting how he shouldn't loud just now. Harry stopped and whirled around slowly, even though the contradiction of movement made his still sore body ache, and for the first time in a while he made eye contact with Draco.

Moving forward with every word, Harry began to spite all heaven left inside of him, watching as the angelic looking person in front of him cowered at every single movement. "You know. You know every fucking thing I never wanted anybody to know. I cant look at you without thinking that you know, and you shouldn't know… Lord only knows why I left that memory there, but whatever Merlin be damned reason isn't bloody good enough for you, in all your hierarchy glory, to go looking through my secrets!"

Harry was in a rage beyond words, his tears only formed by that fact. Draco wanted to respond with a sorry, but his pride wouldn't let him do so at this moment. There were no apologies in a fight where a snake and lion where concerned. "Bloody hell Harry, it's not like it was the end of the world, and it certainly isn't now that I know! Ever thought that I could help you through this? That this might be a good thing that I know?"

Harry moved into the living room, Draco following, and shut the door before casting a silencing charm around the room. He too did not want to disturb Hermione or Ron now, especially after their kind hospitality.

"You knowing is not a good thing!"

"Yes it is!"

"And why did you not to think to inform me about Jamie, huh? It might have occurred to you that I should know my ex lover had custody of my child?"

"I was… but we fought cause your so goddamn ignorant. I was stretching my hand out to you when I invited you to dinner that night, and yes I shouldn't have asked such stupid questions but you quite openly invited me to watch the memories, to see the abuse you went through!"

Harry did not answer, "And it comes apparent to me now that you are a fucking child, which makes me wonder why Jamie would ever come straight to you. Lord knows why he did it, maybe because he had enough of me teaching him the world, but why to you? You through him out, because your too weak to get over some stupid things that happened to you when you were a kid!"

Harry went livid: "Stupid!" He yelled louder than when he had cast the Avada on Voldemort, "Stupid! The fucker raped me every fucking day almost! You call that stupid? Your implying that the action was a result of what I did… And even if it was what right do you have to point that out to me huh?

"Every scar on my body and every thought in my head cannot counteract the pain I went through, just to live during those summers and to be given food to sustain my energy. You think I'm a child Draco, you think that life was so easy for me not to grow up? I had to grow up and I had to be something more than I was, because every ounce of innocence was taken from me. It wasn't like I asked my uncle to fuck me, do you think I enjoyed it!

"And… to add insult to every fucking injury I have… you go mouthing off that I don't deserve Jamie, and you take him away from me for your own fucking benefit! What did you think would become of this huh? Why do you want to get back at me? What did your father ever do to you that was so goddamn drastic, that would make you think that hurting me was the answer? Cause from where I'm standing it looks like it just hurt me a whole lot more!

"And, if that wasn't enough Mr. Malfoy, then you wanting me to feel so much pain is just another reason for me to go home, finish packing up my belongings so I can go kill myself somewhere I wont be found. You want to know how much pain I go through, then you should know that every time we fucked and every time things were cool between us, I hurt afterwards knowing that my uncle had been there before you!"

**Ahh, another chapter through oceans of time. Here it is, hope you like it, and do for my sanity review!**

**Ashes**


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